Filamentous Brown Seaweeds vs. Tube-forming Diatoms
by Jordan Chalfant
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8/24/25: A Hunt for the Winter Wren
This episode follows one naturalist’s decades-long quest to see the elusive Winter Wren, from first hearing its song in the Maine North Woods to the long summer mornings spent waiting for a glimpse in a damp forest swale. Written by Janet Galle, this essay was originally published in The Observer, an online natural history journal from Maine Natural History Observatory.
8/17/25: Cliff Swallows
This episode tells the story of one biologist’s journey into Cliff Swallow conservation, from rescuing fallen nestlings to developing management techniques that help colonies rebound in the face of habitat loss and invasive species. This essay, written by Mara Silver and read by Pepin Mittelhauser, was originally published in The Observer, an online natural history journal published by Maine Natural History Observatory.
8/3/25: The Hunt for the Red-breasted Merganser, part 4
After being temporarily stranded across Moosehead Lake's Northwest Cove, Logan set out to Seboomook Island and the conclusion of his multi-trip effort to document Red-breasted Merganser breeding in Maine.
7/27/25: The Hunt for the Red-breasted Merganser, part 3
The final opportunity to document breeding Red-breasted Mergansers arrives, but events take an unexpected turn with the shifting of the wind.
Common Brown Seaweed Blades: Part 4
by Jordan Chalfant
7/20/25: The Hunt for the Red-breasted Merganser, part 2
The search for mergansers continues and leads to lake isles crowded with colony nesting birds on Maine's largest lake while subsequent efforts are dashed by fickle conditions.
7/13/25: The Hunt for the Red-breasted Merganser, part 1
A noteworthy observation on Moosehead Lake sparks a determined effort to document one of Maine's rarest breeding waterfowl.
7/6/25: Summer Solstice
This episode reflects on the beauty of the summer solstice, celebrating the lush abundance of early summer while acknowledging the quiet turning point toward shorter days and the rhythm of the seasons. This essay, written by Lewis Holmes and read by Pepin Mittelhauser, was originally published in The Observer, an online natural history journal published by Maine Natural History Observatory.
Afield with Maine’s Nightjars: an Update from the Maine Nightjar Monitoring Project
June 2025